Measles continues to ravage EU

According to the October European monthly measles monitoring report from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, the total number of measles cases in 2011 in Europe has risen to more than 29,100.

The report, which tracks measles cases in the European Union, European Economic Area and the European Free Trade Association, found that there were nearly 800 new measles cases detected since the last EMMO, which was published on September 16.

There were no new measles outbreaks reported during September and transmission continues to slow down in the second half of the year. The ECDC is monitoring measles transmission in European countries and producing epidemiological updates as part of the World Health Organization's goal of eliminating measles by 2015. The elimination of measles requires a sustained coverage of vaccinations above 95 percent with two doses of a measles-containing vaccine.

The EMMO aims to provide timely public updates on the measles situation on the continent for effective disease control measures and to support the common 2015 measles elimination target.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, measles is a respiratory virus that causes fever, runny nose, cough and a rash all over the body. Approximately one out of 10 children with measles also gets an ear infection, up to one in 20 gets pneumonia, one out of 1,000 gets encephalitis and one or two out of 1,000 dies.